Justin Gaethje wasn’t even supposed to be there. The UFC lightweight brawler had flown to New York for a simple meet-and-greet at Fanatics Fest, not to test his skills against America’s sporting elite. But fate, and Dana White, had other plans. The UFC boss convinced Gaethje to enter the Fanatics Games, a star-studded, eight-sport gauntlet featuring everyone from NBA superstars to NFL legends. What followed was pure chaos, competition, and a twist only Justin Gaethje could deliver.

By the end of the weekend, Gaethje had outgunned Kevin Durant, Tyreek Hill, and Rob Gronkowski. He’d punched, pitched, and golfed his way into second place, earning a Ferrari for his efforts, and only one man beat him, seven-time Super Bowl king Tom Brady!

Justin Gaethje pulls back the curtain on his second-place finish behind Tom Brady at Fanatics Fest

Recently on X, Gaethje dropped a video with the caption, “How I lost $1,000,000 to Tom Brady…” The clip showed snippets from Fanatics Fest and was accompanied by an interview where the UFC star was asked if it was true that he’d beaten streamer IShowSpeed in a “best athlete” competition. Gaethje laughed. “It is true,” he said. “I took second place in the Fanatics Fest. Tom Brady took first. I took second. It was 50 athletes, 50 fans.”

He wasn’t exaggerating. The field was stacked with stars like James Harden, Eli Manning, Kevin Durant, and Odell Beckham Jr., among others. Yet, somehow, Gaethje, the lone mixed martial artist, proved he could hang with the best in every sport. As he explained, “I did really good at the pitching, punching, really good at the golf. Definitely whooped some big names. Tyreek Hill, IShowSpeed, I think Gronkowski took him out. I beat all of those guys in the best athlete competition, Fanatics Fest. Put it on. I took second place and won a Ferrari.”

That Ferrari, though, didn’t last long in Justin Gaethje’s garage. During another chat with pro skimboarder Austin Keen, ‘The Highlight’ revealed that he had traded the luxury ride for $400,000 cash. Still, it’s the loss, not the Ferrari, that fans can’t stop talking about. After all, Tom Brady‘s victory wasn’t just another trophy on his shelf; it was a reminder that even outside the gridiron, the man remains a born competitor. He topped the leaderboard with 399.1 points to Gaethje’s 345.5, pocketing the million-dollar prize and donating most of it to charity.

Brady even gifted $5,000 to each of the 50 fans who competed, and promised to donate the rest to charity, a gesture that turned his win into an inspiring story. Yet, in a lineup of all-stars, the UFC slugger wasn’t just holding his own; he was leading the pack. He wasn’t even supposed to compete.

And when the lights dimmed and the scoreboard lit up, Justin Gaethje was second only to the most decorated quarterback in history. But while he embraced and excelled in this challenge, Gaethje has recently come under fire from a top lightweight in the UFC for reportedly turning down a fight against him!

Arman Tsarukyan blasts “easy money” Gaethje for fight refusal

During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Arman Tsarukyan dropped a bombshell. The UFC Qatar headliner claimed that Gaethje turned down a fight offer against him. According to him, “I was asking about the title fight and they said this year, Ilia’s not going to fight, that’s why I said I’ll fight anybody because I haven’t fought in a long time, so I want to fight. I told them Dan Hooker or (Justin) Gaethje works for me. These names. I heard Gaethje said no and Hooker said, ‘Yes,’ so we are in.”

Now that’s quite the accusation, especially coming from a fighter like Tsarukyan, who was once scheduled to fight Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title earlier this year before being pulled from UFC 311 just hours before weigh-ins. His hunger for redemption is obvious. “Gaethje would be better,” he added, “but for me, it doesn’t matter. Both of them, easy money for me.”

So, while Tsarukyan gears up for Dan Hooker in Qatar this November, Gaethje remains silent on the callout. And that silence speaks volumes. The former BMF champion has been adamant that his next fight must be for the lightweight crown, a demand that has put him directly at odds with the UFC’s matchmaking machine.

As such, for a fighter who has built his reputation on chaos and carnage, Gaethje’s strategic quietness feels unusual. Yet maybe that’s the point. After all, when you’ve already stood toe-to-toe with Tom Brady and nearly walked away a millionaire, perhaps the only thing left worth chasing is legacy!